Foreign World
by LeftwithThis
Summary: After the fight in Ostagar our hero, female human noble, finds herself in the hut of the mysterious woman she had encountered earlier during her time in the Wilds. Slightly in shock, she begins to remember of the night before and meets Flemeth...


_Child, tell me…tell me why you are here? Are you visiting or…do you need something from me? The Fade is a dangerous place and not for mortals to wonder in. Your body is weak and frail and you cannot handle being here for much longer. I sense something has changed in you since we last spoke…you are tainted…tainted by death. The blood of darkspawn runs through your body and soul yet you are not dead. Why? Have you bonded with it? Why have you taunted death yet still live Lulia?_

My eyes open slowly to the site of a small hut and the woman I had met earlier in the Wilds. She turned towards me with a devilish smirk on her face. It brought a cold chill down my spine as she began to speak.

"Ah, your eyes finally open. Mother shall be pleased." She spoke.

I lifted myself up from the bed I had been placed in; a sharp pain growing on my right side. "I-I remember you. You're the girl from the Wilds."

"I am Morrigan, lest you have forgotten and we are in the Wilds where I am bandaging your wounds. You are welcome, by the way. How does your memory fare? Do you remember mother's rescue?" she asked in a smartalic tone.

I rubbed my head trying to remember the previous memories of last consciousness. "I remember being overwhelmed by darkspawn…trying to light the beacon in Ostagar for Logain's troops to advance…there was so much blood and death…then nothing." I tried to stand but quickly sat back down from the pain. "Shouldn't I be-"

"Dead? Yes, you should. Do you remember Mother's rescue?" she asked placing her hands on her hips."

"She rescued me?" I asked confused.

"I would have rescued your King. A King would have been a much higher ransom than you." She replied giving another cold smirk at me.

"The King…what happened to him; to the army?" I responded hoping my thoughts were not true.

"The man who was to respond to your signal quit the field. The darkspawn won your battle." She said sounding a bit more sincere."Your King, your leader, and all those he abandoned; they were all slaughtered."

I could feel my eyes burning from the sudden tears forming in my eyes and seeping into my cuts. I wiped my eyes quickly as memories of Duncan ran through my head. He had saved me from Howl's betrayal when my family's castle in Highever was taken over and he recruited me on the spot. My parents, my nephew Oren and his mother, and friends of the family were all killed. It was happening all over again and I just couldn't take it.

I zoned back in a few moments later. "Your friend…he is not taking it well." I heard Morrigan.

"My friend? You mean Alistair?" I asked wiping my eyes again.

"The suspicious, dim-witted one that was with you and the other two the first time we met, yes." She replied. "He is outside by the fire. Mother asked to see you when you awoke."

"Then let's go. I don't want to keep her waiting." I said finally standing up and surviving the pain. "Thank you, Morrigan. For everything."

"I-You are welcome. Though Mother did most of the work, I am no healer." She said looking surprised.

I looked around for my armor but could not seem to see it in sight. "Morrigan, if I may ask, where is my armor?"

She looked at me and laughed. "I hope you weren't thinking that you would be able to use it again after the beating that you took. It was ripped to shreds…I suppose I can let you borrow some of mine; at least until you reach a town where you can purchase some new armor."

I looked at her clothing and wondered how it was staying on her in the first place. "If you don't mind I'd just like a shirt and pants if you have any. I do not think that you're attire will suit me well."

"Agreed. You seem more of the simple type and by the look on your face, you don't approve of my choice in clothing." She smirked throwing a laced short dress at my face.

After putting it on, I made my way outside. I saw Alistair starring off out at the swampy area. He seemed so focused, but on what I had no idea.

"See? There is your fellow Grey Warden. You worry too much for your own good." The scratchy voice of Morrigan's mother spoke.

Alistair turned around to face me with a blank expression on his face. "I'm glad you're ok." I said giving off what I hoped was a smile.

I suddenly found him hugging me; his arms wrapped around my neck. "Y-You're alive! I thought you were dead for sure."

I felt my face get hot as I tried to get away from his grip. "I'm fine…can you let me go?" I asked hearing my voice squeak.

He let go with a grin on his face. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad that you're better. If it weren't for Morrigan's mother, we'd be dead on top of that tower."

"Don't speak as if I were not here." Morrigan's mother barked.

"I didn't mean…we'll what do we call you? You never gave us a name." Alistair stuttered.

"Names are pretty, but useless. The chasind folk call me Flemeth. I suppose it will do."

"_**THE**_ Flemeth., from the legends? You're a witch of the Wilds, aren't you?" Alistair asked in shock.

"I know a bit of magic and it has served you both well, has it not." She replied.

"So why did you save us? Why not go after a higher prize like the King or Duncan. I've only been a Grey Warden for a day and Alistair is just a novice. Why us?" I asked.

"We can't let all the Grey Warden's dying off all at once can we? Someone has to deal with these darkspawn. I thought it was the duty of a Grey Warden to unite the lands during a blight, or has that changed while I wasn't looking?" Flemeth asked.

"The land is hardly united now, thanks to Logain." I mumbled under my breath.

"Why would Logain do this?" Alistair asked getting worked up.

"Now that is a good question. Men's hearts hold shadows darker then any tainted creature. Perhaps he thinks he can outmaneuver this army or wishes to gain your country's throne. " Flemeth gave an almost human-like emotion as she spoke.

"He is the queen's father. Still, I don't see how he'll get away with murder." Alistair thought out loud.

"You speak as if he were the only King to gain his title that way. Grow up boy." Flemeth replied showing off her witch-like appearance on the outside..

"If Arl Eamon knew about this he wouldn't stand for it; the Landsmeet wouldn't stand for it! There would be civil war!" Alistair responded looking over to me.

"Arl Eamon? The arl of Redcliffe? What could he do?" I asked not really understanding.

"Arl Eamon wasn't at the battle in Ostagar and still has all his men. Of course! He could go to Redcliffe and ask him for help!" Alistair said as a flame of confidence grew inside him.

"Flemeth, do you have the treaties?" I asked after thinking over the situation.

"Of course! Grey Warden's can ask the help of dwarves, elves, mages, and any other ally during a blight!" he looked like a young child being given a new toy.

"I may be old, but dwarves, elves, mages, this Arl Eamon that sounds like an army to me." Flemeth said giving a devilish smile.

"So can we do this? Go to Redcliffe and… build an army?" Alistair asked me.

"I don't see why not? Isn't that what Grey Wardens do?" I asked with a shrug.

"So you're set then; ready to be Grey Wardens." Flemeth asked. "Now, before you go, I have one more thing I can give you."

Morrigan approached with a wooden spoon in her hand. "The stew is bubbling Mother. Shall we have two guests for the eve…or none?" she asked glaring at Alistair and I.

"The Wardens are leaving girl. Now go retrieve the treaties and your things for you are going with them." Flemeth demanded.

"As you say-what?" Morrigan asked looking stunned. "Mother, this isn't how I wanted this! I'm not even ready!"

"You have been itchy to get out of the Wilds for years now girl. Here is your chance. The magic I have taught you should be enough to help you through your troubling times ahead." Flemeth pointed towards the hut. "Boy, go help her." Morrigan sighed as she retreated to the hut with Alistair. "Warden! You and I are going to have a chat…"

"Ugh…ok? What do you need?" I asked feeling the cold chill returning.

"A question, if I may. I can sense in you something that is not of this world. Yet, you have no magical abilities that I can detect. Who are you exactly and what do you want?" her devilish smirk returned.

"I am Lulia Cousland of Highever, the youngest of the teryn Bryce CouIand's children." I said clenching my hands into fists. "What I want…more than anything…is revenge; to make him pay for killing my family."

"And who does all this rage go towards dear?" she asked.

"Arl Howl…that bastard!" I yelled shaking my head trying to get the images out.

Flemeth let out a laugh as sinister as an archdemon from the many history books I had read. "That's it my child. Release that anger. Express your true emotions!"


End file.
